Jannik Sinner has had his say on Carlos Alcaraz’s new hairstyle — and the world No. 1’s reaction makes it clear he’s far from impressed.
Alcaraz recently showed up sporting a shaved head, the result of a botched attempt by his brother to tidy up his hair before the US Open. The Spaniard appeared unfazed by the drastic change, brushing off the incident with typical nonchalance.
“I felt like my hair was really long already, and before the tournament I just really wanted to get a haircut,” explained Alcaraz. “My brother misunderstood the machine. He just cut it. Then the only way to fix it is just shave it off. It’s not that bad, I guess.”
But when Sinner was asked whether he’d ever dare part ways with his signature ginger locks, his response was instant and emphatic: “No.” He even hinted that Alcaraz may be counting the days until his hair grows back.
“For him, everything looks good. If it’s longer or even if it’s very short. I have a huge amount of hair. It is not a problem for Carlos. You will see, in a few days, his hair will be back very fast.”
Sinner, meanwhile, has let his tennis do the talking in New York. Beginning his US Open title defence with ruthless precision, the Italian dismantled Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The reigning champion’s dominance suggested that the illness which forced him to retire against Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Masters final is firmly behind him.
The post-match press conference quickly turned reflective as Sinner was reminded of his very first showdown with Alcaraz on these same courts — their five-set epic back in 2022. That clash, which Alcaraz edged, has become a landmark moment in what has since blossomed into one of the sport’s most enthralling rivalries.
“You know, three years back I felt like we were getting to know each other obviously and in different ways, but we also didn’t know exactly what to expect in the future,” Sinner recalled. “It’s the same now. You don’t know what’s happening next. I feel like when we were very, very young, it was like a kind of match where you just go on court and just hit. Now I feel like we have to prepare tactically, we have to prepare it also emotionally and mentally.
“It’s everything different because in the past three years, we faced each other many times, and every match we play is different, if we watch the tactical side. So we make adjustments.
“But for sure it was an important match [US Open 2022 match] to see also that our peak is very interesting to see also from the outside. It was for sure one of the key matches, even if we were very young.”
With both men installed as top favourites for this year’s title, New York could once again be the stage where their destinies collide. Should they march through their respective halves of the draw, fans may be treated to a third straight Grand Slam final between the pair. Judging by Sinner’s opening display, it may take something extraordinary from Alcaraz to halt the Italian’s march toward another piece of silverware.